Red Everglades Tomato Seeds

Red Everglades Tomato Florida Native Heirloom Vegetable Seeds
Solanum Pimpinellifolium
Listing is for 1 packet of +15 seeds

Learn everything you need to know about growing Everglades tomatoes with my YouTube video tutorial: https://youtu.be/j8WAHLsd5aM

The Everglades tomato is a true Florida native tomato that grows wild in the Everglades. This plant survives hot, humid, and dry conditions like a champ. Plants are low to the ground and sprawl horizontally very quickly. It does not require staking. I particularly love using this as a edible ground cover in spots of my garden that are bare or not being used. The tomatoes are small currant size and have a good tomato flavor that I describe as being on the "umami" side. I don't fertilize, water, or spray for pests or diseases. Once established, they will reseed around your garden very easily. They produce a lot. I like to add them into salads or roast them and toss with pasta.

Tomato Characteristics

Indeterminate

Color: Red

Flavor profile: sweet & savory

Average fruit size: Currant sized tomatoes

Ideal Growing Conditions

Sun: Full sun

Water: Keep soil consistenly moist but not waterlogged

Fertilizer: Regular applications of an organic granular fertilizer, like Espoma Tomato-Tone greatly increase production. Please watch my YouTube video that explains my tomato fertilizer process and schedule: https://youtu.be/PHaXNGErTJ0

Germination: 3 weeks or more ****please note**** Everglades tomatoes take a while to germinate. Please expect any where between 21 days to a month to sprout. This is completely normal for this variety. To speed up germination I recommend using a heat mat. 

Please watch my YouTube video all about growing Everglades tomatoes from seeds to harvest: https://youtu.be/j8WAHLsd5aM

When To Sow Seeds: General guidelines recommend to start seeds indoors, 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Hot climate (no snow areas), can also sow seeds indoors during the summer to transplant in the fall. Sow 2 seeds per 4 inch pot or solo cups with drainage holes cut out of the bottom, filled with sterile seed starting mix, cover with 1/4 inch of soil. Place over heat mats, use grow lights, and fertilize once the first set of true leaves appear to speed up growth.

Germination: 14-28 days

Days To Maturity: 60 days after transplanting

How & When To Harvest: harvest once they turn yellow

Common Diseases: Tomatoes catch a ton of common leaf diseases caused by various pathogens that die when treated with hydrogen peroxide. If you notice powdery mildew, yellow spots, or black lesions on the stems, spray with 1 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water to clean and disinfect. Repeat every 3 to 5 days until you notice the spread has stopped. If a lot of rain is expected, pre-treatment will help to prevent diseases. For severe leaf diseases use a stronger treatment like Monteray Disease Control.

Common Pests: The most common pest when growing tomatoes are aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites, and worms (like the tomato horn worm or army worms). All of these can be treated with spinosad. 

Additional Tips/Information: N/A